A few children and teenage girls dressed in tracks and T shirt were assembled in the vacant space under the huge banyan tree beside the pond in the village of Ayyankottai near Alanganallur.
They were seriously practicing silambam waiting for their master to arrive. They formed a circle and randomly two girls reached the centre and started fighting with others cheering them. One of the girl was fierce and the silambam from the other girl's hand flew into air with the hit from the opponent.
Before the Silambam stick would touch the ground their master caught it. Everyone bowed to their master who smiled at their sincere efforts to learn the art.
Master: Romba nalla pasanga. Seri adutha varam competition porom, ellarum peru kudukkanum. Daily kalaila 5 maniku practice varanum. Bus charge mattum vaangitu vaanga extra kasu kekka koodadhu ippo potruka dress podhum. Sapadu naa arrange panniduven seriya?
( Good children. Ok, next week there is a competition and I want you all to register your names. Come for practice at 5 daily. Get only bus fare from your parents and no need to take extra cash. The dress which you are wearing is enough and I will pack food. Did you get it ?)
Children: Yes master...
They took a bow and again they started with the practice following their masters moves. An hour later they were done. Once they were ready to leave they sat next to their master Kanmani. She is a loving sister when they were done practicing and the children loved to spend time with her.
Child 1: Kanmani akka, nee mattum eppadi ivlo nalla silamabam suthura ? ( Kanmani sister, how come you spin the stick well ?)
Kanmani: Adhuva da, en appad silambam master avar solli kudutharu. ( That ? My father is silamabam master and he taught me )
Child 2 : Appo avar yen solli thara mattenguraru ? ( then why is he not teaching us ?)
Kanmani: Avar kittaye kelunga.. Ippo ponga veetukku poi sapdunga illa na kovil prasadham tharuvanga saptu ponga ( You ask him yourself. Now go home and eat something or go to the temple and get some prasadh)
Once the children left there was a screaming voice " Kanmaniiiiiiiiiiiiiii"... A girl in her 20s came running and bent holding her knees panting for air.
Girl: Kanmani, class mudincha ? Seekiram vaa polam.
Kanmani: Hey Bommi yen ippadi odi vara, enna achu ? ( Hey bommi, why do you come running like this, what happened ?)
Bommi: Andha Shanthi akka kandhu vatti ku kasu vaanga pogudhu. Andha akka ponnu ku seemandham vechurukku adhukku kasu venumam. Andha meesakaran, singaram kitta vaanga pogudhu.
(That Shanthi sister is on her way to get money for usury interest. Her daughter's baby shower and she needs money for that. She is going to get that from that moustache man, Singaram )
Kanmani: Ivangalukku evlo sonnalum puriyave puriyadhu pola. Nee poi yen appava andha akka veetukku vara sollu. Naa pesikiren. ( How much should I say to them still the won't understand. You go and get my father to her house. I will talk to her )
Kanmani rode her bicycle leaving Bommi to run again.
Bommi: Adiye thriumbavum naa odanuma ? ( Hey girl, should I run again ?)
Kanmani: Kalaila sapta 10 idly serikkum odu di. ( The 10 idly you ate in the morning will digest so run again)
Bommi whined still she ran again to call her father while Kanmani was already on her way. She reached shanthi's house and saw she was getting ready.
Kanmani: Shanthi akka, Vatti ku kaasu vaanga poriya ? Thirumba katta mudiyuma ? Yen ippadi panra ? ( Shanthi akka, are you going to get money for interest ? Will you be able to pay back ? Why do you do this ?)
Shanthi: Kanmani, seemandham vechurukken, naa enna seiyattum ? ( Kanmani, I have fixed baby shower, tell me what should I do ?)
Kanmani: Radha ma kitta po avanga unnoda ponnuku seeru kudupanga, sapadu nanum yennoda appavum samachu tharom matha selavum pathukalam, vattiku kasu vaangadha sonna kelu.
( Go to Radha maa, she will give gifts to your daughter, me and my father will cook the food and we will manage other expenses too but don't get money for interest. Listen to me )
Bommi arrived with Kanmani's father Ranganathan and Kanmani explained everything to him.
Ranganathan: Shanthi, veli aalunga vatti ku kaasu vaangunale Kanmani ku pudikadhu idhula nee sondhakari nee vaanguren sonna nallava irukku. Namma pathukalam ma poi Radha ma va paaru.
( Shanthi, Kanmani doesn't like if someone gets money for interest and is it good you are our ready to do it being our relative ? We will handle now go visit Radha ma )
Shanthi nodded her head and left to Radha's home. Kanmani smiled at her father for being supportive of her decisions without protesting.
Ranga: Kanmani, unnoda anna unna theditu irundhaan paru. ( Kanmani, your brother was searching for you, go look for him )
Kanmani rode her bicycle with bommi in her back seat munching a guava.
Bommi: Un annan enna vambu izhuthan mandaiya odachiduven. ( If your brother trouble me then I will break his head )
Kanmani: Appadiye unakku pudikadha madhiri dhan.. podi neeyum vekka pattu dhan sirikura
( You say as if you don't like it, girl, you too smile feeling shy around him)
Their cycle was forcefully stopped and a man with curly hairs hugged Kanmani.
" thangachi, ennoda pasamana thangachi annan unna engalam thedunen theriyuma ?" ( sister, my lovely sister, do you how your brother was going in search of you ?)
Bommi: Deii Arul, over act pannadha, matter enna nu sollu. ( Hey Arul, stop over acting and tell me what is the matter )
Kanmani: Anney avalukku porama neyyy, nee sollu enna vishayam ( Brother, she is jealous, you tell me what is the matter )
Arul: Thalli podi kunthani.. ( Go away fatty )
Bommi knocked on his head and Kanmani rubbed his head glaring at Bommi.
Arul: Avala vidu, Veera varan papa. Ippo dhan phone pannan. Rendu naal la varanam avan amma kooda. Konja naal inga dhan irukka porangalam.
( Leave her, Veera is coming baby. He called me just now. He is arriving in two days with his mother. They will be staying here for some days )
Kanmani: Permanent ah varalaya ? ( Is he not coming here forever ?)
Arul: Avanga vandha apram pesikalam ippo vaa veetukku polam, annanukku pasikudhu. ( We will talk that after he comes here. Come now lets go home, your brother is very hungry )
Bommi: Naalam thriumbavum odi vara matten solliten. ( I will not come running again. I m telling you already )
Arul: Chellam nee yendi odi vara. Thangachi munnadi okkaratum nee pinnadi mama va katti pudichu okkaru na otitu poren. ( Sweety, why do you run ? Let my sister sit in the front and you sit in the back hugging your mama, I will drive the cycle)
Bommi: Pona varam Thenmozhiya doubles kootitu pona ippo enna solre ? ( Last week you took thenmozhi for doubles now you are asking for me ?)
Arul: Ava thangachi di ( She is my sister girl )
Kanmani laughed at his perfect flirting skills and they got in the cycle as Arul suggested and he drove towards their home.
As soon they reached Bommi skipped to her home which was two house away and Arul , Kanmani watched their father talking to someone from his mobile. He was smiling ear to ear and Kanmani looked at Arul but he shrugged as don't know.
Ranganatha cut the call and looked at his children with a bright face.
Ranga: Arul, Kanmani, Valarmathi athaiyum Veera vum varangalam neenga rendu perum poi avanga veeta clean pannidunga. ( Arul, Kanmani, your Valarmathi aunt and Veera are arriving and you both clean their home)
Arul: First soru apram dhan vela. Papa naa omelette poduren nee poi dress change pannitu vaa. Yara irundhalum namakku first soru dhan mukkiyam.
( First food next work. Baby I will prepare omelette by then you go get changed. whoever it is food is most important to us )
Kanmani: Correct anneyyyy.. Idho ippove varen. ( Correct brother, I will be back now )
Kanmani entered her room and stood before the mirror in the wooden cupboard and touched her sweaty face with a smile. She opened the gallery in her mobile and saw his photo.
Kanmani: 8 varusham achu mama, ippo dhan varanum thonucha unakku. Vaa di unakku irukku. ( Its been 8 years mama, you got the mind finally to return now is it ? Come on man, then I will show you )
She giggled and tossed her T shirt and chose a half saree and skirt to get changed. She came out and Arul had already arranged the dishes and waiting for her.
They sat on the floor and Ranga sat with them and served food for them.
Kanmani: Eppadi paa ivlo nalla samaikura ? ( How come you cook so well ?)
Ranga: Enna irundhalum unna madhiri samaikka mudiyuma ? appadiye unga amma samacha madhiri irukku unnoda samayal. ( Whatever but can we cook like you ? Your cooking taste exactly like the ones cooked by your mother )
They saw their mother's photo on the wall with a smile. As they continued eating they heard a commotion and rushed outside. A group of men were holding a man's shirt and a girl was crying.
Arul: Hey enna pa achu ? ( Hey, what happened ?)
Man: Thangachi college pogum podhu pinnadiye follow panran. Ava evlo vatti sollita pudikala nu apppo kooda chumma irukka mattran.
( He has been following my sister when she goes to college. She has made it clear many times that she doesn't like him still he doesn't stop )
Hearing that Kanmani stepped forward and slapped the man with unwashed hand and held his collars.
Kanmani: Pudikala na vida mattiya da. Innoru mura indha pakkam vandha unna savadichuduven. (Won't you give up if she doesn't like you ? Next time I see you around her then I will kill you )
She gave a punch on his nose and he started bleeding.
Arul: Innaiku quota mudinchu. Namma thangachi oru vela bruce lee thangachiya irundhu irupalo pona jenmathula ? appo namma dhan bruce lee ya ?
( today's quota is over. could it be my sister was bruce lee's sister in her previous birth ? So does that mean I was bruce lee ?)
Ranga: Kanmani, podhum vaa ma. First indha kai neetra pazhakkatha maathu. ( Kanmani , enough come now. first you need to stop slapping like this )
Kanmani: Ponnunga na avlo easy ah pocha, naalu ara vitta olunga vazhikku varuvanga. ( did they think women are so easy, 4 slaps will get them on track )
Ranga and Kanmani turned around to leave but Arul was still on spot deep in thoughts. Kanmani shook him and cocked her eyebrows.
Arul: Illa ma, yaroda future nenachen konjam pavama dhan irukku. (nothing dear, just thought of someone's future and I pity that person )
Kanmani did a bhangra hearing his words and Arul joined her. As the siblings danced to the fate of someone, Ranganathan dumped a bucket with brooms and mopstick and smiled at them showing the way to clean Veera's home.
*******************
This is the first chapter of Veera and Kanmani's story. Why should it always be the Hero give a mass entry and not the heroine so here Kanmani has made her entry and lets see Veera's introduction in the next chapter.
Please take a few minutes to register your comments and votes.
Your comments and votes are the only means to know the extent the characters has reached you all.
As informed already I will be back in a couple of days with updates on alternate days.
Take care and Thank You